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Pro-Gbagbo forces hold newspaper distribution workers hostage

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(MFWA/IFEX) - Workers of Edipress, a newspaper distribution company in Côte d'Ivoire, were held hostage on the company's premises by armed personnel of Gbagbo-controlled Defence and Security Forces (FDS) of the Ivorian army on 10 March 2011.

All the distribution vans of Edipress tasked to convey the 11 March newspapers were locked up at the premises.

The Media Foundation for West Africa's (MFWA) correspondent reported that the action of the FDS was intended to prevent the circulation of Pro-Outarra newspapers which were expected to carry the latest outcome of the 265th meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), held on 10 March, reaffirming Alassane Ouattara as the President of the Country.

Earlier, the correspondent said the Gbagbo-controlled state-owned Ivorian Broadcasting Corporation (RTI) in its 8 p. m. news misinformed the Ivorian public, showing a representative of Gbagbo who said the meeting was ongoing. The UN radio had already announced the AU's decision to recognise Ouattara as President.

Following the action of the FDS, the distributors also refused to circulate pro-Gbagbo newspapers.

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